Tragic End for 'Lion King' Child Star: Imani Dia Smith Stabbed to Death at 25 in New Jersey Home: EDISON, N.J. — In a heartbreaking loss to the Broadway world, Imani Dia Smith, the former child actress who enchanted audiences as Young Nala in "The Lion King" from 2011 to 2012, was fatally stabbed on December 21, 2025, at a Grove Avenue residence in Edison, New Jersey. Police arrived around 9:18 a.m. following a 911 call, discovering the 25-year-old with multiple stab wounds; she was rushed to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick but succumbed to her injuries. Her boyfriend, 35-year-old Jordan D. Jackson-Small, was arrested at the scene and charged with first-degree murder, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, and endangering the welfare of a child—their 3-year-old son was present. The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, led by Yolanda Ciccone and Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan, confirmed the attack as targeted and non-random in a December 23 press release. A Bright Talent Cut ShortRemembered as a triple-threat performer full of vivacity, Smith was the daughter of Broadway hairstylist Monique Rance-Helper and leaves behind her young son, parents, and two siblings. A GoFundMe launched by her aunt has raised over $46,000 for funeral expenses, therapy, and child care, with family lamenting that she "had her whole life ahead of her." Outlets like Playbill, BroadwayWorld, and People have mourned the rising star's untimely death Story By Donnell Ballard. #CelebrityLoss #LionKing #LionKing #JessiNgatikaura #LionsMane #ViralPost
